


Close Quarters

by Kitsune_Moonstar



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Alternate Universe - World War II, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 23:38:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsune_Moonstar/pseuds/Kitsune_Moonstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roy hadn't meant to get shot down over enemy territory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Roy

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters. Part of this story was previously posted as a part of So Kiss Me. This is AU and set during World War Two.

**Close Quarters - Roy  
**

Roy cursed and tried to disentangle himself quickly. This was not going as planned at all. When he left on this mission, he had no intention of getting shot down over Germany. At least he had survived the crash with relative minor injuries. Nothing was broken thankfully, and the head wound was simply superficial. Now all he had to do was avoid detection and capture by the Germans, and figure out a way to get back to Britain. It sounded simple enough, but in execution it would be harder. For one thing, Roy didn't exactly blend in. His mother was Chinese and he looked more like her than his father for the most part. With his dark hair and dark eyes, he didn't exactly fit the ideal standard for a German.

He thought he had seen a town nearby, and that at least would give him someplace to hide. He would just have to be careful not to be seen. Roy managed to get himself away from the wreckage of his plane and started in the direction he thought the town was in. There was very little moonlight to see by, and it was slow going as he tried not to make much noise and avoid any further injury. He knew it was fairly late at night, so at least he had a few hours more of darkness. Roy kept an ear out for any noises that might indicate he was being followed or that someone else was around. He had made it to the edge of the town when movement caught his eye.

A hand closed around his wrist.

"In here. Quickly!" The voice was soft, forceful, and female.

Roy found himself yanked inside a building, a house he thought. The hand on his wrist let go, and he heard movement in the darkness before a flame sprang to life. A blond woman with mahogany eyes held a small lamp. She looked German, but her accent when she spoke had clearly been Welsh. Besides, what choice did he have but to trust her? She led the way to the upstairs of the house without speaking. The woman walked straight into a library and headed for a bookshelf up against the wall, she pulled it aside to reveal a little closet like space.

"You'll be safe here as long as you keep quiet. They're going to check the houses soon. I'll be back with food when it's safe."

He lost no time in climbing inside. His questions would wait. Neither of them would be safe if he was found. There wasn't a lot of space inside, and he couldn't see anything once she shut the door. With a sigh, Roy seated himself and closed his eyes. He might as well get some rest while he could. He didn't know how much later it was when the doorway creaked open, and a sliver of light illuminated the space.

"Sir? Are you awake?"

He blinked as he made out the woman's form. He offered her a half smile.

"Yeah. I'm Roy Mustang by the way."

"Riza Hawkeye. I brought you something to eat. It's not much though. I also wanted to check your injuries."

"It's fine." He was more than willing to take whatever food she had scrounged.

Riza opened the door wider to let more light in and sat down on the floor across from him. She handed him an apple and some bread then busied herself with checking him over for injuries. Roy devoured the offered food then tried to make conversation while she tended to his various cuts. Most of them weren't that bad, but a few were very deep.

"You're not from here, are you?"

She shook her head. "I was born in Britain. My mother was Welsh. When she died, my father moved us here. He died just after the war started, and I didn't have time or the ability to escape. My mother's father is still in Wales though, and I hope to join him there once this is all over."

Riza finished her ministrations with a practiced ease. She reached behind herself and pulled out a blanket when a noise made her freeze. Motioning for him to stay still, she crept out of sight, probably to peer out a window. Moments later she had reappeared, still clutching the blanket, and looking very concerned.

"Back inside. Quickly."

To Roy's surprise, Riza followed him inside and shut the door behind them, leaving the two of them in darkness. Roy leaned against the back of the closet, using it to help him sit down. He groped in the dark for Riza's hand so he could pull her down. If they were going to be stuck here for awhile, they might as well be comfortable. They were snuggled together in the small closet with little wriggle room. Riza rest her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"What's going on?" His voice was barely a whisper.

"Zolf Kimbly is outside. He's an SS officer who has shown an interest in me that I don't return. I prefer not to be at home when he comes calling. He typically hangs around for an hour or so before giving up, and he has once before come into the house looking for me."

"Ah."

That was perfectly understandable, and Riza probably didn't have much other recourse. Not being their when the man was looking for her was probably the safest way for her to refuse him. Deciding to distract her from her current problems, Roy started inquired about her. He soon found that Riza was the daughter of a scientist who had very little interest in science herself. Her mother had died when she was fairly young, and her father had been unable to bear living in his wife's homeland any longer, so they had moved to Germany. Riza herself was very well educated especially when it came to history and literature. She had been hoping to go to university, but then the war had started, and she had gotten involved with the resistance.

Riza was really a fascinating woman. Roy didn't know many who had her courage and aplomb in dealing with a very bad situation. She was pretty much on her own here and had only her wits to protect her really. And yet she was determined to do more than simply survive. Earlier in their conversation, she had admitted that he was the fifth person she had rescued and help escape back to safety. Riza let out a soft little yawn.

"Tired?"

"There hasn't been much of a chance to get rest lately."

He gathered her up in his arms, wrapping the blanket around them both. "Just close your eyes and get some rest. We've got at least another thirty minutes before the coast is clear, and a nap might help."

It didn't take long for her to drop off, and Roy was content to listen to the even sound of her breathing. He was a little startled about how strong his reaction to this woman was. Back home he was known as something of a flirt, but he had never really been emotionally invested in any of that. Riza was different. There was just something about her that drew him like a moth to a flame. He had only known her a few hours, and yet he found himself telling her things that only his closest friends knew. Roy didn't know if it was their current situation or something else entirely, but he knew that Riza was something special to him.

About an hour later, he woke her reluctantly. As much as he wanted her to get some rest, Roy didn't know if she had other responsibilities that she needed to tend to. Riza untangled herself from him and rose to her feet.

"I'll be back in a little bit with some more food. You can leave the door ajar as long as you shut it immediately if you hear steps on the stairs."

Roy nodded. Riza turned to go, and he called after her.

"Riza? Thank you."

She paused and offered him a smile before disappearing. Roy sat back and tried to get some rest himself. He didn't know how long this respite would last. Riza clearly had a plan for getting him out of here and back to Allies controlled territory even if she hadn't shared the details of it with him yet. Roy trusted that she knew what she was doing. She wouldn't still be alive if she didn't. He pulled the door mostly shut and closed his eyes to take a nap.

Roy woke to find Riza leaning over her, her hand rest on his shoulder.

"I brought you dinner, and it should be safe enough for you to sleep in a real bed tonight." She frowned slightly. "It will be another day before I can get you out of here I'm afraid."

"Thank you. I appreciate everything your doing for me."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

Once he had eaten, Riza led him to a little room next door that had a small bed that had been neatly made up.

"There's a bathroom just around the corner. If you need anything, I'm just across the hall. Good night."

"Good night, Riza."

Roy pulled off his boots and climbed into bed. Sleep did not find him easily, and so when the whimpers and cries from Riza's room started, he was already awake. He only hesitated a few minutes before climbing out of bed and going to check on Riza. He found her clearly in the grip of a nightmare, and Roy did the only thing he could think of. He drew her into his arms, making soothing noises and trying to wake her up. When she finally did wake up, Riza clung to him. Roy held her close and let her cry herself out. He had the feeling that she hadn't had anyone to lean on in a long time.

They both ended up falling back asleep. When Roy woke the next morning, he found himself wrapped around Riza. She didn't seem to mind though as she was using him as her pillow. It was oddly comfortable, and Roy found himself tempted to simply go back to sleep. However, Riza's stirring kept that from happening. Roy kept his eyes closed and pretended to still be asleep as she rose from the bed. He was a little surprised when she tucked the blankets back around him and kissed his forehead, but he managed to keep from giving himself away.

Once she was gone, Roy got up and went to use the bathroom. He wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do or where he was supposed to go right now, so he headed back to the library and decided to investigate the shelves. It was several hours before he saw Riza again, and once more she had brought him food.

She offered him a soft smile. "We'll be leaving tonight. I'm taking you to some people who should be able to get you back to England."

"Thank you really doesn't cover it, Riza. Is there anything I can do for you? Even just let someone in England know you're all right?"

"If you could let my grandfather know that I'm all right, and that I'll be coming to England as soon as I can I would appreciated. He's Brigadier General Leroy Grumman."

Roy started to laugh. He couldn't help himself. He really should have known. At Riza's odd look, he tried to explain.

"General Grumman's my superior officer. He's been trying to get me to agree to marry his granddaughter for the past few years. And it figures that when I get shot down I would actually meet her."

Riza started to laugh as well. "That sounds like him. You must have impressed him that he's been offering my hand in marriage."

"Well, I'm afraid I couldn't possibly accept unless the lady in question was happy with the arrangement as well."

She flashed him a grateful smile. "Be careful, I might just take you up on that when this over if I need help getting into England."

"I live to serve."

It was dark when Riza led him out of the house. She kept his hand tightly in her own as the silently made their way through streets. After the first few minutes, Roy gave up trying to track the path they were taking. It was just too confusing. It was clear that she was leading him out of the village, but he couldn't tell if they were going north, south, or what. But Riza seemed to know the way, and he trusted her. It truthfully didn't take all that long. It just felt long since both of them were extremely tense. If they got caught now, Roy doubted either of them would escape the consequences. If that happened, he planned to pretend he had taken Riza hostage. There was no way he was taking her down with him if the worst happened.

However, the two of them managed to get to the meeting point without incident. Roy could make out two other figures in the dark.

"This him?" A young male voice asked.

"Yes." Riza's voice was just as soft. She still hadn't let go of him yet. She turned to him. "Ed and Al will get you out of here and on your way back to England. I…goodbye, Roy."

He pulled his pocket watch out of his pocket and pressed it into her hands. It had been a gift when had been commissioned as an officer, and it had both his name and his posting engraved on it.

"I promise I'll find you when this is over. If you don't show up in England, I'm coming over here and combing the German countryside for you."

Roy kissed her then. Riza let out a small sound of surprise before melting into him and kissing him back.

"Goodbye, sweetheart." The endearment slipped out unconsciously. He kissed her again quickly. "I'll see you again. I promise."


	2. Riza

**Close Quarters - Riza  
**

Riza adjusted her skirt and pulled her jacket closer to her. She hadn't realized that it would so cold and rainy here. Riza might have been born in England, but it had been years since she had been here. Checking the piece of paper in her hand once again, she frowned and kept walking. If the information she had been given was correct, the building should be just down the street. She hoped it was right. If it wasn't, she wasn't sure what to try next. She hadn't realized how hard it would be to get in touch with someone in the military.

She had arrived in England only last week. It had taken her nearly a year, but she had finally managed to escape Germany. Riza had stayed as long as she dared, but she had the sinking feeling that she had definitely been under suspicion when she had left. In a way that made sense, she had been the most active and successful operative for the underground in her area. Someone must have noticed something. At least she had managed to get out alive. That was more than she could say for a number of people she knew.

It felt a little foolish to be right here though. Riza had arrived in England planning on finding one Captain Roy Mustang. It had been a year since she had seen him last, but he had left a strong impression on her. She had started by going to the posting that was engraved on the pocket watch he had pressed upon her just before he had left. However, after getting quite the run around, she had learned that he had been transferred to another post. Tracking down which post had taken nearly four days. And now that she was actually here, Riza was unaccountably nervous.

Standing before the imposing brick building, Riza hesitated. Did she really want to go through with this? She could always locate her grandfather and wait to contact Roy until she was settled in England. Besides, she was assuming that he both remembered her and felt something for her. Yes, she felt a strong connection to the man, but that didn't mean that he felt the same way. He might have wanted to put the whole experience behind him once he got back to England.

Shaking her head to clear it, Riza squared her shoulders. She had said she was going to do this, and she was going to. If Roy Mustang didn't remember her, at least then she would know. She would feel worse if she let this opportunity pass her by and then never really had the chance to see him again. She briskly walked into the building before she could talk herself out of doing this. After consulting the man at the front desk, she made her way up to the fifth floor. Taking a deep breath, Riza walked into the second office on the right.

A teenager in an Auxiliary Territorial Services uniform looked up from her desk. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

"I'm looking for Roy Mustang."

The girl frowned. "He's out to lunch, ma'am, but I rather doubt he'll see you. He doesn't see most of the women who come in wanting to see him."

"He'll see me." Her voice was more confident than she was.

The girl sighed. "You can sit down and wait then. There's a coat rack if you want to hang up your jacket."

It wasn't a particularly warm welcome, but Riza would take what she could get. She hung up her jacket and took a seat in one of the chairs that was in the main office area. Riza knew how she looked. She was on the thin side, and her ivory blouse and blue skirt were faded and worn though neat and clean. Her long blond hair was pulled back in a neat braid; it had gotten too long to easily pin up. Her eyes were a little bit haunted. But then that was true of just about anyone who had been in Germany lately. With nothing else to do, Riza found herself drawing the silver pocket watch out of her pocket and running hr fingers over it.

She didn't know how long she waited. Riza never opened the watch, just held it in her hands, running her fingers over its surface. The office door finally opened, and two laughing men walked inside. The one blocked her view of the other. He was tall with mess dark hair and a pair of wire rimmed glasses.

"Captain Hughes, Captain Mustang." The girl greeted them. "Captain Mustang, there's a woman who insists you'll see her."

Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. There was a sigh, and Roy peered around Captain Hughes. His eyes went the wide, and the next thing Riza knew she was held tight in his arms. Roy buried his face in her hair.

"You're safe. Oh thank god. You're here."

It wasn't very coherent, but Riza couldn't blame him. She was having trouble putting together a coherent sentence herself. He pulled away only to kiss her and then hugged her tight again. When he finally let go, he kept an arm around her waist as he turned to the other man.

"Maes, this is Riza Hawkeye. I know I've mentioned her before."

"Mentioned? That's one word for it." Maes laughed then smiled at her. "Thank you for saving Roy. He may be a pain at times, but I'd rather not have to break in a new best friend."

Riza blushed and ducked her head. "It wasn't just me."

"Maybe not, but he would have been in real trouble if you hadn't found him."

She hadn't realized they had been moving until Maes shut a door behind them. The three of them were now in a smaller and much messier office. Roy offered her one of the two chairs in the room.

"Would you like a cup of tea or something?"

"Tea would be lovely."

Maes made small talk with her while Roy fixed the tea.

"How long have you been in England?"

"I just arrived last week. I haven't done much besides get my papers in order. Thankfully, my passport lists me as a British citizen, and my father never bothered to make sure I became a German citizen."

"Have you had any problems?"

"Not since arriving here," Riza smiled. "There were a few close calls when I was getting out of German territory but thankfully no real problems."

"Would you like sugar or milk?"

"Just sugar please." Riza took the cup offered to her.

Roy hovered beside her. Maes looked between the two of them.

"I'm going to get back to work, Roy. Let me know if you need help with anything."

Roy nodded, and then the two of them were left on their own.

"You've been well? Nothing happened to you after I left?"

Riza shook her head. "No, things were fine. It wasn't until several months later that I started arousing suspicion. There were a string of Jewish children that came through my town. I guess we took on a few too many since someone noticed something odd was going on. I stayed long enough to make sure everyone else in my local network got away safely before leaving."

Roy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I was worried about you. I mean, I know you can take care of yourself. That much was obvious, but I worried that I had brought too much attention to you."

Riza shook her head again. "You've been well then? You had no trouble getting back here?"

"Your people were very good," he smiled. "They had no problems getting me out. The biggest hassle really was making my report. Who knew that getting shot down behind enemy lines created so much paperwork?"

She laughed. He continued talking.

"I let your grandfather know that you were all right. He was glad to hear it. He was reassigned as well, but I have his home address in Wales if you want it."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

Roy reached out to touch her cheek. "I'm glad you came and found me. I missed you."

"You barely know me." Her voice was soft.

"I know you enough to fall in love with you." He met her eyes.

Riza was almost taken aback by the emotion in them. Almost, because she was pretty sure her own eyes reflected the same emotion. She reached out to take his hand in her own.

"I love you too."

Roy bent down to kiss her. "Good."

They sat in silence for several moments, just being with one another. Riza would admit to dreaming of him frequently over the past year. To actually be here with him, to actually know that he felt the same way, felt something like a dream itself. She was half afraid that she was going to wake up alone in her house in Germany. Except, no dream could match this. Not really.

Roy ran his hand through his hair again. "Do you have a place to stay yet?"

"I have a room at a hotel." Riza smiled. "I haven't really had a chance to find a permanent place yet or even a job. I should probably contact my grandfather as well to let him know that I made it here safely."

Roy nodded. "Actually, I might know of a place you can stay. Maes' girlfriend is looking for a new roommate. She's a nurse at one of the military hospitals, and her last roommate left for home recently to take care of her parents. Gracia wasn't really looking forward to hunting for a new roommate, so she'd probably be for the idea. If you want to write him a note, I can probably get it sent to your grandfather pretty quickly. The military postal system is actually quite good."

They talked and planned a little longer. Riza had plenty of things on her plate in order to get set up here in England. She might be safe now, but the war wasn't over yet, and there was still quite a bit of work to be done. Just because she was here now didn't mean she was going to stop doing what she could to fight the Nazis. Someone had to stop them, and Riza couldn't leave that completely to chance. Still the idea of working against them here where she wasn't constantly afraid for her life was nice. And the idea of being able to see Roy on a regular basis was also rather nice.

She was reluctant to leave, but Roy probably did have work to do, and Riza herself had things that needed to get done. Roy seemed just as reluctant to have her leave. Finally, he sighed.

"I'll talk to Maes about Gracia's apartment. I can probably have an answer for you about that tomorrow."

"Good." Riza nodded and held out the short note that she had composed. "If you could get that to my grandfather, I would appreciate it."

"Not a problem." He smiled and tucked the note into his pocket. "Where are you staying? I can call a taxi for you if you'd like."

"That's all right. It's not too far from here." Riza jotted down the name of her hotel and her room number for him. "I guess I should go then."

"Do you have to?" Roy pouted.

It made her laugh. "Yes. I'm sure you have work to do."

"I'd rather spend time with you." He sighed. "Can I take you to dinner tonight then?"

"I'd like that."

Roy pulled her close and kissed her. He held her tight.

"Thank you for coming back to me. I really would have gone to Germany and torn apart the countryside to find you. I've been so worried about you, Riza." Roy voice was soft.

He kissed her again. Riza sighed softly. She really didn't want to leave the comfort of his arms. It was something she missed almost immediately when he let go of her. Roy walked her out to the main office and helped her with her jacket before insisting on walking her out to the front door. He kissed her again in front of the building, clearly reluctant to let her go.

"I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes." Riza smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll be waiting."

She headed back to her hotel room with a spring in her step that had not been there when she had left earlier today. Riza had had her doubts about returning to England. She remembered the place from her childhood, but she had been uncertain if it really was the right place for her. She hadn't known what sort of reception she would be coming to or even what she was going to now that she was here. But if anything had become clear in the last hour or so, Riza knew that England was home if only because Roy was here. It seemed a little odd that someone she had known for only a few short days had made himself integral to her sense of home, but it was true. Roy was home, and she had found it.


End file.
